Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of hardware tools, more particularly to a cutting tool having an asymmetrical handle and a pair of eccentric thumb studs.
Discussion of the Background
Cutting tools have been known to mankind for thousands of years. Among these cutting tools perhaps the most common is the knife, which at its basic form may include a blade with an edge and a contact portion, such as a handle. The earlier versions of the knife were made of stone and similar material. As humankind became more knowledgeable about materials and their characteristics, our tools have also increased in sophistication. For example, nowadays metal, alloys, and minerals have phased out the use of rocks and similar material in the construction of cutting tools and knives. In addition to metallic components, other resistant materials such as ceramics have been employed in the manufacture of knives.
Knives may be classified in two groups, depending on the configuration of its blade (i.e., whether it is fixed or pivotable) with respect to the handle. In the case of fixed-blade knives, as the name implies, the blade is permanently attached to the handle in a single position. In the folding knife's configuration, the blade is coupled to the handle by some mechanisms which ejects (or allows to be ejected) the blade from within the handle, exposing the edge of the knife. The ejection mechanism used in folding knives also varies. For example, some folding knives require the user to physically pull on some portion of the blade in order to expose and use the edge of the tool. However other knives employ configurations in which a user may activate a particular item, such as a screw or spring, thus causing the blade to deploy almost instantaneously.
Since folding knives typically pivot at an axis with respect to the handle, these do not maintain the same blade-handle alignment. Furthermore, it may be the case that a particular pivoting structure or a given ejection mechanism fails to provide adequate structural support for the knife when in use. While some folding knives may suffer from such shortcomings, this type of knife (in its non-deployed state) may represent a space-saving alternative for some customers, such as travelers or law enforcement.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,414 discloses a folding knife in which the user is able to transition the blade from a sheathed position to a “locked use” position by either tactile manipulation of the blade by the user or by pressing a release button without touching the blade. Even though this particular folding knife may include alternative manipulation mechanisms, one important characteristic of prior art folding knives still remains: the shape (and thus the functionality) of the blade depends on the configuration of the handle, since the handle serves the purpose of securing and housing the blade.
Moreover, even with alternative manipulation mechanisms, folding knives may experience wear and tear of elements, such as the locking components. The severity of such wear and tear often depends on the blade-handle configuration chosen by the manufacturer. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a tool which combines an asymmetrical handle, an adjustable support mechanism, and an adjustable blade stop to help offset the wear and tear typically associated with liner/frame locking folding knives.